What is 5G and how does it work?
5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra-low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience for more users. Higher performance and improved efficiency, empower new user experiences and connect new industries.
Some estimates forecast that by 2025, we’ll reach 3.6 billion 5G connections, a number expected to grow to 4.4 billion by 2027.
Speed
5G speeds will range from ~50 Mbit/s to over 1,000 Mbit/s (1 Gbit/s). The fastest 5G speeds would be in the mm-Wave bands and can reach 4 Gbit/s with carrier aggregation and MIMO.
India
In 2018, one of India’s largest telecom providers (then called Idea Cellular) merged with Vodafone and is now called Vi. Vodafone was already preparing for 5G, having set up “future-ready technology” in 2017 by upgrading their entire network to support it.
Bharti Airtel announced in early 2021 that their network is 5G ready.
Reliance Jio completed 5G coverage plans for the top 1,000 cities in the country in early 2022.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is another.
They signed a memorandum of understanding with Ciena, a networking systems company, in early 2019 to prepare its network for 5G. A test network was erected in 2020 from Cavil Wireless.
China
Three wireless carriers officially brought 5G to China on October 31, 2019: China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom. 3 Hong Kong kicked it off on April 1, 2020. According to the press release, at launch, it covered indoor and outdoor areas in all districts in Hong Kong. SmarTone began offering theirs in May 2020 and introduced Home 5G Broadband later that year.
Advantages of 5G technology
Higher Download Speed. The 5G network will have the capacity to increase download speeds by up to 20 times (from 200 Mbps (4G) to 10 Gbps (5G)) and decrease latency (response time between devices). These speeds will maximize the browsing experience by facilitating processes that, although possible today, still present difficulties.
Hyperconnectivity. The 5G network promises the possibility of having a hyper-interconnected environment to reach the point of having the much desired “smart cities”. The correct performance of these new dynamics will depend on the bandwidth of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Process optimization. It is also expected to revolutionize areas such as medicine (remote operations, for example), traffic management and autonomous vehicles, as well as its implementation in the construction sector, to optimize resources and reduce risks.
Disadvantages of 5G technology
• Immediate Obsolescence. The transition to the 5G network will require devices that can support it; current 4G devices do not have this capability and will become immediately obsolete.
• Technological exclusion. The implementation of the 5G network also implies a lack of immediate accessibility for average pockets, combined with a delay in its implementation due to a lack of means for its use.
• Insufficient Infrastructure. For the 5G network to function properly will require a whole ambitious investment in infrastructure to increase bandwidth and expand coverage, and this is not cheap. This situation will necessarily lead to delays in its implementation due to the high costs that governments will have to cover for 5G to function properly.
• Risks in security and proper data handling. All of this requires optimal data management, and this is where the most conflicting part of the advantages versus disadvantages lies. And the fact is that, in the management of all this information, both from companies and individuals and even governments, not only issues such as Big Data techniques are involved in its study.
Source: Lifewire
